CHAPLEAU EXPRESS
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Vol. 26, Issue 32, April 21, 2022
Kama.AI Completes Feasibility Study for First Nation Virtual Health Assistants (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) ama.AI, an Indigenous owned Artificial Intelligence company, announces the completion of a Feasibility Study for the deployment of an Emotion-AI-powered Virtual Health Assistant for First Nations and other remote or underserved communities. Indigenous and remote Ontario community members often face challenges accessing health services and health information. The feasibility study was funded through the province’s Ontario Innovation Showcase, managed by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), and the service was tested by Chapleau Cree and Moose Cree First Nation community members. Five-term Chapleau Cree First Nation Chief, Keith Corston, was pleased with the outcome of the study: “It is important that our people have access to critical information when and where they need it. We were happy to work with Kama.AI and the Ontario Centre of Innovation to trial this important service for First Nations,” said Chief Corston. Padraic Taaffe, Health Coordinator for Chapleau Cree, and the lead sponsor of the trial and feasibility study, had this to say, “Kama.AI’s Virtual Health Assistant is the perfect example of the kind of digital health tool that we need: lightweight and agile but with the depth needed to help navigate the Long Term volatile, uncertain, Forecast complex and ambiguous Thursday healthcare landscape High 5 facing First Nation Low -2 peoples. It was easy and Friday intuitive for the commuHigh 5 nity to use but able to Low 0 deliver clear and pertiSaturday
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nent information aggregated from multiple sources.” “Through the Ontario Innovation Showcase and the Ontario Together Fund, our government is supporting homegrown technologies and innovations that will strengthen the resilience of Ontario’s health care system,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Ontario is proud to partner with Kama.AI to help First Nations and other remote or underserved communities access care through innovative digital technologies to improve health and wellbeing.” Brian Ritchie, Kama.AI’s CEO, said that, “While a Virtual Health Assistant cannot replace in-person healthcare supports, it can help community members understand what is available, and how to navigate and interact with the services that are provided.” Ritchie, who is also a member of Chapleau Cree First Nation, was delighted to be able to test Kama.AI’s Designed Emotional Intelligence® with two Cree Indigenous Communities. “We have a strong focus on assisting enterprises with product and service marketing and support, but we have always felt that our Virtual Assistants have a role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of First Nation peoples. Equally, we are encouraged by the positive feedback received regarding the impact Virtual Agents can have on preserving and regaining Indigenous culture,” said Ritchie. Funding for the Ontario Innovation Showcase and the feasibility study was provided by the Ontario Together Fund. Dr. Claudia Krywiak, OCI’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have had the honour of supporting some of Ontario’s leading tech companies, helping them start-up, scale-up, and suc-
ceed, and we look forward to continuing to support tech companies that are addressing issues affecting Indigenous and First Nations peoples.” About Kama.AI K a m a . A I ’s D e s i g n e d E m o t i o n a l Intelligence® platform, Kama DEI, is a natural language conversational intelligence that lets brands and organizations educate and support their clients with personalized service guided by consumer or client values like “culture”, “style”, “health” or “companionship”. End-users can access the platform through any medium including chatbots, Messenger®, Alexa® or mobile phone apps. The result is anytime-access to automated, personalized product and service information while live customer service agents focus on higher level, value-added conversations. For more information, visit: https://kama.ai/ About the Ontario Centre of Innovation The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), maximizes the commercial impact of research developed in Ontario’s colleges, universities, and research hospitals, and accelerates the commercialization of Made-in-Ontario technologies. A pan-provincial collaboration platform, with a broad and deep network across industry, academia and government, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides handson training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent. For more information, visit: https://www.ocinnovation.ca
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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 2
Weather Summary for Ontario March 2022: Winter Battles With Spring Temperatures and Precipitation March was a month that was characterized by large temperature swings across the province, with much of the province averaging out to near normal. In the northwest, temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees Celsius below normal, continuing the trend of below normal temperatures seen in this region since January. The temperature anomalies in this region, however, were not nearly as extreme as those seen in February, which was one of the coldest Februaries on record towards the Manitoba border. Much of the province enjoyed above normal temperatures from roughly March 15 through 25. March 17 saw a very mild air mass flood into southern Ontario with numerous places reaching maximum temperatures in the mid to upper teens. Some of these were daily records including Cornwall at 19.0oC, Peterborough at 18.2oC and Bancroft at 18.1oC. The province was suddenly thrown back into the depths of winter with temperatures more typical of January from March 26 through 28. Temperatures in some cases were more than 10 degrees below normal. Much of the province experienced precipitation that was near normal, although portions of northeastern Ontario received between 150 and 200% of the normal amount for March. An OBITUARY Lynn Tracey Fournier (née Lalancette)
The family announces with great sorrow her passing in Sudbury, Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at the age of 55 years. Beloved wife of Danny Fournier of Chapleau. Daughter of the late Edouard and of the late Margaret (née Kincade) Lalancette. Loving mother of Rebecca Anne Fournier of Chapleau and Jesse Lee Fournier (Tiara Lafantaisie) of Sudbury. Dear sister of Sue Desbiens (late Alex) of Thunder Bay, Kim Gravelle (Donald) of Hanmer and Mark Lalancette of Sudbury. Lovingly remembered by many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. In keeping with her wishes, there will be no visitation. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Chapleau. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the COOPERATIVE FUNERAL HOME, Sudbury. www.cooperativefuneralhome.ca.
impactful winter storm affected the Thunder Bay area March 22 through 23, with amounts in excess of 50 cm over the two-day period reported. Another winter storm brought significant amounts of snow, freezing rain and rain to portions of northeastern Ontario March 30 through 31. Some areas received 20 to 50 mm over those two days, which contributed to the month having above normal precipitation. Ice Conditions in the Great Lakes Ice coverage on the Great Lakes in March can be broken down into two periods, ice growth during the first two weeks and ice melt during the last two weeks. In the first part of the month, cold, below normal temperatures lead to rapid ice formation through Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan and Huron. This cause ice coverage to increase even as the ice in Lake Erie and St. Clair was melting. Ice coverage rose to 43.6%, well above the normal of 30.6%, this was also the second highest ice coverage of the season. This trend was disrupted when warm, above normal temperatures settled in over the Great Lakes causing ice coverage to fall sharply. By the end of the third week in March, most of the new and thin ice that had formed in the early part of the month melted in Lake Michigan and Huron. The melt continued through the end of the month as ice coverage fell to 15.6%, falling below the long-term median of 16%. This marked the first time since early January where ice coverage was below the climatological normal. Significant Events March 6: Early Taste of Spring A low-pressure system crossing the Great Lakes brought an early taste of spring to southern Ontario, while northeastern Ontario experienced some late winter weather. While temperatures reached the mid-teens in the south, the mild air was accompanied by damaging wind gusts, generally ranging between 80 to 90 km/h. The strongest gusts were observed at the Hamilton Airport, reaching 105 km/h. These winds were responsible for a transport truck being blown over on the Skyway Bridge in Burlington. The bridge was closed for several hours as a result. Northeastern Ontario remained on the cold side of this system, and many areas recorded several hours of freezing rain. Multiple road closures occurred due to vehicle collisions and difficult road conditions. March 11-13: Late-season Significant Snowfall A nearly stationary frontal boundary resulted in a late-season significant snowfall for eastern Ontario on the 11th. An area stretching from Prince Edward County, northeastward to the Ottawa Valley received snowfall amounts in the range of 15 to 25 cm, with areas near the city of
Ottawa receiving the highest values. As the low-pressure system associated with this frontal boundary progressed eastward, areas east and southeast of Lake Huron experienced a lake-effect snowsquall from late on the 12th until the 13th. Visibility in these squalls was significantly reduced, and resulted in many road closures throughout Huron and Bruce Counties. March 21-23: Winter in the North and Spring in the South A low-pressure system affected a large swath of the province, beginning with snow in the northwest. Areas nearer the Minnesota border received snowfall amounts of close to 25 cm, while the highest amounts were received in Thunder Bay, with accumulations of over 50 cm over the course of two days. In the south, brief freezing rain caused slippery road conditions on the 22nd before changing over to rain. General rainfall amounts of 15 to 20 mm fell across most of southern Ontario. Additionally, strong wind gusts up to 70 km/h were frequent throughout the day on the 23rd. Early season thunderstorms swept across areas north of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Downed hydro poles were reported in Wallaceburg due to these thunderstorms, resulting in power outages. March 30-31: Another Winter Storm to Close out the Month Yet another low-pressure system, originating from the United States, moved across the Great Lakes giving more winter weather to many areas of the province. In northern Ontario, significant snowfall amounts ranging from 10 to 20 cm fell, mainly in areas between Geraldton and Kapuskasing. In northeastern Ontario and parts of central and eastern Ontario, freezing rain was observed for several hours, leading to slippery road conditions. Several collisions and road closures were reported as a result of this wintry weather mix. In southern Ontario, several areas received a couple of hours of freezing rain on March 30, however minimal impacts were reported. Significant winds, ahead of the cold front associated with the lowpressure system, swept across southern Ontario March 31. Maximum wind gusts up to 90 km/h were observed, mainly near the shores of Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario. Outlook for April Near normal temperatures are expected to continue for the south as the month begins, while warmer than normal temperatures will make a return to northern Ontario. Following the significant winter storm crossing the Great Lakes, near-normal precipitation is anticipated for the province through to the middle of the month.
CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 3
Chapleau Sharing Chapleau High School Moments Moments as 100th anniversary nears in June by
Michael J. Morris WOW! It will be 13 years in June this year since I accepted Mario Lafreniere's invitation to write a column for the Chapleau Express, I wondered if I would be able to come up with enough material for a month's worth of Chapleau Moments. Since starting Chapleau Moments, I have often reminded myself of the words that Dr. J.B. McClinton shared with me in a Timmins restaurant shortly after my arrival there to begin my career as a daily newspaper reporter with The Daily Press in 1964. I was having coffee with Dr. McClinton, a great promoter of Northern Ontario and Highway 101 connection between Chapleau and Timmins, and he said, "So, you want to be a reporter. "Look around you. There are stories everywhere. If you never left this restaurant for the rest of your life, you would never be able to write all the stories that happened in this place."
MJM and his father Jim Morris
Well, "let me tell you" as my good friend the late Dr. G.E. Young would say when he started a story, if I continued to write for another few years to come, I would never be able to share all the stories about the people and moments that are part of Chapleau's history. I have been doing and teaching journalism and communications since I was a student at Chapleau High School in the 1950s. I am writing this column now because the 100th anniversary of Chapleau High School is rapidly approaching, and I need your help. This is an historic moment in the history of Chapleau, and if you have memories I would most appreciate it if you contacted me to share "Chapleau High School Moments!!! Let me thank Mario for providing me with the opportunity to share Chapleau moments with you -- the stories of the incredible people who have called Chapleau home -- those who still live there, those who now live somewhere else, and those who are no longer with us but left their mark on the life of the community since 1885, and before. Let me thank all those who have contacted me during the years year with comments, story ideas and their recollections of the life and times of Chapleau. Maybe that's been the best part of the experience, reconnecting with so many of you over the past years and bringing back such wonderful memories of home. And yes, I've discovered beyond any doubt that Chapleau is still considered home to those who have lived there, even if like me, they have been gone for many years. It has also been great to open emails from folks I do not know to read about their connection to Chapleau. Of course, I am not really "from" Chapleau, having been born in Hamilton, Ontario, where my father, James E. Morris, who was born in Chapleau, was a flying instructor at the Elementary Flying Training School at Mount Hope, part of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in World War II. He had joined the RCAF in 1940 but took leave to be a flying instructor, at the EFTS. My mother, Muriel E. (Hunt) Morris was born in Glasgow, Scotland and came to Chapleau with her parents just before World War I. Both my parents graduated from Chapleau High School. When my father went back into the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942, we returned to Chapleau to stay with family while he was overseas on active service during World War II. We stayed after he was killed while on active service on July 16, 1943. Many readers will recall my mother who
taught at Chapleau Public School for 32 years, and let me say thanks to all those who have kindly remembered her in messages to me. While at the public school she directed annual concerts including Gilbert and Sullivan's musical 'HMS
Muriel and Jim Morris Pinafore'. Billy Kemp, Charlie Byce and Gordon Bolduc all had leading roles in this production, while Joan Kemp was the pianist. Mom was also very active in St. John's Anglican Church where she was choir director. However, one of the great moments in her church life was undoubtedly in 1935 at a service marking the 50th anniversary of the parish. As one of the soloists she sang 'Now the Day is Over.' Her father, my grandfather, George Hunt was the choir director while the organist was Miss Nettie Herner, who later married Arthur Grout. My parents were married in St. John's Church in 1940. Mom died in 1989. (Saying from the late Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of South Africa: "Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I am who I am because of all who have contributed to my being'. I walk because someone held my hand as I was learning. I laugh because my mother laughed. Her laughter was carried from her mother, and hers. It is kept alive by family and friends. Losing our loved ones opens the way to compassion for others, and connects us all soul to soul.") In my first Chapleau Moments column all those years ago now, I shared my tricycle ride from our home on Grey Street, uptown and across the old overhead bridge, to visit my grandparents, Lil (Mulligan) and Harry Morris on Elgin Street. It just struck me that trips from Grey Street to Elgin Street were actually started by my parents when they were dating in the 1930s -- a connecting link for us to both sides of early Chapleau. As I have noted previously my grandCont’d on P.5
CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 4
De jeunes leaders engagés à l'ÉSC Trillium L'école secondaire catholique Trillium a totalement raison de se sentir choyée. Ce sentiment s'explique puisque de jeunes leaders catholiques de l'école vivent pleinement la mission qu'ils se sont donnée : celle de créer un environnement sain où il fait bon vivre et apprendre en français. Depuis le début de l'année et ce malgré les défis de la pandémie, ces élèves sont parvenus à créer des activités ludiques et engageantes diminuant considérablement les effets ressentis par les mesures de santé. Maintenant que les restrictions ont été levées, le Parlement des élèves de Trillium s'affaire à mettre sur pieds de nouvelles activités qui sauront faire vibrer les murs de l'école. On s'amuse à Trillium!
ÉSC Trillium student leaders make a difference École secondaire catholique Trillium in Chapleau has the right to feel that it is spoiled. This feeling is the result of seeing the school's young Catholic leaders fully live the mission of ÉSC Trillium: that of creating a healthy environment where it is good to live, learn and thrive in French. Since the beginning of the school year, these students were able to overcome the challenges of the pandemic and succeeded in creating fun and engaging activities that
considerably reduce the effects felt by Covid-19. Now that the health restrictions have been lifted, the school's Student Parliament is busy
organizing new activities that will make the walls of our school vibrate. We have a lot of fun at Trillium!
Ontario Building a Stronger Forestry Sector Province invests $15 million in new wood manufacturing plant in Northern Ontario The Ontario government is providing a grant of up to $15 million over four years to Wawa OSB Inc. through the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program to support a new state-of-the-art plant that will produce oriented strand board (OSB), an important material for building new homes. This investment will build a stronger forestry sector, create jobs and bring economic growth to northern and Indigenous communities. “Funding this new plant is a win for Ontario, Wawa OSB Inc., and the entire community of Wawa,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. “An investment of this size is one more way our government is supporting forestry and ensuring we secure the materials we need for our plan to Build Ontario. This exciting opportunity is another example of a new company choosing to invest in Ontario because of an improved business environment, and it will bring good jobs back to this region and benefit Indigenous communities.”
Ontario has a competitive advantage over other jurisdictions in the production of OSB because of its abundance of low-grade poplar and birch. Wawa OSB Inc. is investing $181 million to build the province's third OSB manufacturing facility which will expand Ontario's OSB production capacity to satisfy growing demand for building materials in Canada and the U.S. “Through Ontario's Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program we are creating jobs and supporting innovation and economic growth in the North,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government is proud to support this investment by Wawa OSB to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and we will continue to support small and medium-sized businesses to bring jobs, opportunities and prosperity to people and communities in Northern Ontario.” The Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program is a business support program designed to improve productivity and
innovation, enhance competitiveness, support new market access and strengthen regional economies. “ Our government has reduced electricity rates for large industrial customers by 15 per cent through our Comprehensive Electricity Plan so job creators like Wawa OSB have the certainty and stability they need,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “We know that competitive rates are important for the success of Ontario's forestry industry, which is essential to Northern communities. We are pleased to support expansions like today's that will support goodpaying jobs and build more prosperous communities.” “This assistance is a key first step in financing our project to reopen the WAWA OSB mill,” said Yolaine Rousseau, Executive vicepresident, WAWA OSB Inc. “The Cossette family is very excited about creating jobs in Northern Ontario and increasing our production capacity to better serve North American Cont’d on P.7
Chapleau Moments Cont’d from P.3 mother was a member of the Mulligan family who came to Chapleau in 1885. This time let me tell you a bit about my father and some of his friends, and moments they shared growing up in Chapleau. Born in 1914 in Chapleau, he attended Chapleau Public School and Chapleau High School graduating from Grade 13 in 1933, and yes, one of his teachers was John 'Mac' McClellan. In fact, Mr. McClellan coached the juvenile hockey team he played on with Gordon McKnight, Don Robinson, Eric Young, Walter Moore, Bobby Perpete, B. McAdam, Joe Crichton and Romeo Levesque. He also rose to the rank of Cadet Captain in the Number 1181 CHS Cadet Corps directed by Mr. McClellan. In his application to the RCAF, he noted that he was involved in all school and local
CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 5 athletics, including track and field where along Railway YMCA for three years. The YMCA on with Claude Turner and Ken Godfrey they won Lorne Street was a beehive of activity in those years marathon relay races at Schreiber and Fort William with rooms, a restaurant, sports activities and a in 1931, 1932 and 1933. In those years Chapleau bowling alley downstairs. As an aside the most had very active track and field club with a five mile famous bowler in my memory was Mrs. Mabel Young, Dr. Young's mother. Dr. Young was also one race held in conjunction with July 1 celebrations. After the war, the Morris Thomson of my father's good friends. Mr. 'Pop' Depew was Memorial Trophy was established and it was won the secretary as the manager was called Of course, growing up in Chapleau meant by Greg Lucas so many times that it was finally given to him. In the 1970s, the five mile race was skating in the "old" arena on Lorne Street as well as revived and Greg would present the trophy to the playing hockey on outdoor rinks including on the river by the present beach, skiing, hiking and winner. Tennis was also popular and I learned to camping and swimming. Two of my father's good friends who shared play from some of my father's friends including Greg, Eric Young and Charlie McKee, as well as memories of growing up with him, which I really Rev. Frank Leigh who would have been a bit older. appreciated were Clyde Fife and F.A. 'Nick' Card. We played on the St. John's Tennis court and, those When I turned 16, and went to get my guys could really whack a ball, and won some driver's license, Clyde was the examiner and when I northern Ontario titles in their prime. arrived, and knocked on his door, he said, "I was After graduating from high school, my expecting you today. I was there when you were father became assistant secretary at the Chapleau born." And he was. Clyde had enlisted in the RCAF and at the time was stationed in Toronto. So, on the day I got my driver's license, Clyde told me stories, and finally asked, "How did you get here?" to which I replied, "I drove" . Clyde replied that seeing as how I had driven to his home near the old power plant, I could drive home and he approved my license. Clyde is the father of Robert Fife, now the Ottawa bureau chief of The Globe and Mail. Bob is a CHS graduate Nick, who served as reeve of Chapleau and also as a councillor grew up on Elgin Street almost next door to my Dad. In fact, until Walter Paradis built his home there, a vacant lot separated their houses. I don't know if it is still visible today, but almost across from their homes was a big rock on which they painted, "Kilgore was here."0 My father's love of flying started at an early age when he would go down to the Chapleau waterfront and hang out with the early bush pilots who would fly in to Chapleau in the 1930s. An article in the Toronto Telegram after he was killed noted that he was involved with early bush pilots. In applying to the RCAF he wrote that he had acquired knowledge in "part time employment" around aircraft. According to my grandfather, he really was learning to fly planes, thinking that his mother did not know. She did. Mothers always know. In 1936 he joined the Canadian Pacific Railway department of investigation and in 1939 was part of the security team for the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He received his private pilot's license at the Fort William Flying Club in 1937. In sharing a bit about my parents with you, I do so with a great sense of gratitude to them for making the decision to have my mother and I return to Chapleau while my father went overseas. Despite the tragic loss of him when I was so young, I was able to grow up close to my wonderful grandparents - George and Edith Hunt and Harry and Lil Morris and among the greatest people I have ever known, the good people of Chapleau. Thank you for being the people you are. I look forward to hearing from .My email is mikejmorris41@outlook.com or message me on Facebook.
CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 6
Last weeks solutions MOMENTS IN TIME
On May 5, 1904, Cy Young pitches the first perfect game in modern Major League Baseball history as the Boston Americans defeat the Philadelphia Athletics, 3-0. Young's perfect game was part of his then-record 45-inning scoreless streak.
CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 7
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Ontario Building a Stronger Forestry Sector Cont’d from P.4 customers. I would like to reiterate our commitment to working with the various stakeholders, including the First Nations in the territory. Our team is proud and grateful to the Government of Ontario for recognizing the importance of this project to the province, and we will continue our discussions with the Government of Canada to obtain their support as well.” Projects such as this one, which utilize large quantities of low-grade wood while creating jobs and encouraging economic growth, are critical to achieving Ontario's goals established in 'Sustainable Growth: Ontarios Forest Sector Strategy as well as the recently announced Forest Biomass Action Plan. The funding is conditional on the completion of key project milestones and finalizing a funding contract between the company and the province. There are still several other milestones for Wawa OSB Inc. to achieve before they can be fully functional, including
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CHADWIC HOME, FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE. Offers shelter, emotional support, and information for women and their children who are in crisis situations. We have a Toll Free Crisis Line which is staffed 24 hours a day. We can arrange for free transportation to the Centre for women who live in the Algoma/Chapleau area. We also offer support to women who live in the communities of Chapleau, White River, Dubreuilville, and Hornepayne through our Outreach Program. Our Outreach Worker travels to those communities to meet with women who need emotional support as well as information about their rights and options. If you need to speak with the Outreach Worker when she is in your community, you can call the Centre at any time to set up an appointment. You do not need to be a resident of the Centre in order to use our services. If you need someone to talk to or if you just need someone to listen, call our Toll Free Crisis line at 1800-461-2242 or you can drop in at the Centre. We are here for you.
Deadlines on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. Attention all Campers Borden Lake Campground has 3 permanent lots available. If you are interested in entering a draw for one of these lots, please attend the Chapleau Community Centre (Arena) parking lot on Saturday, April 30 at 2:000 p.m. to submit your name. You must be present to enter the draw, no proxies permitted. One name per family permitted. Borden Lake Campground Association
New at the Library Library Hours Monday 1-5 pm Tuesday & Wednesday 1-7 pm Thursday & Friday 1-5 pm Website : www.chapleau.ca Follow us on facebook for more info!
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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, April 21, 2022- Page 8
Forest Biomass Key To North's Energy Needs Underutilized wood can generate much-needed electricity for industries and communities By Iain Angus Ontario will soon be facing an unprecedented demand for new electricity supply as some of the nuclear plants, a major supplier of Ontario's electricity, are taken out of service. Currently, the Northwest will also be short of power as a number of new mines connect to the provincial grid. The current shift to green power is opening up new options for the generation of electricity that could help to meet the demand. Ontario Power Generation is exploring new hydro projects, but people living in the Boreal Forest region know there's already another viable source; one that not only produces green renewable energy, but creates good paying, long-term jobs in the smaller communities of the province. It's forest biomass, consisting largely of the left over wood from logging and sawmill operations. A number of factors combine to make it an attractive way to produce future electricity across Ontario's North. The first is supply: almost every community in Ontario's North is surrounded by the forest industry, making wood fiber a readily available resource. Furthermore, this supply has the potential to grow in the years to come. Today only 46% of the province's total allowable cut is being harvested each year, less than 0.5% of Ontario's overall public forest. Demand for sustainably sourced forest products is also at an all-time high and is expected to increase. The United Nations projects that global demand for forest products will grow by more than 30 percent by 2030. Increased forest production will mean an increase in the supply of forest biomass available to the communities and industries that can use it. Forest Biomass and Climate Change A second advantage of using forest biomass to produce electricity is the positive contribution it makes to combating climate change. Canada's Boreal Forest absorbs and stores extremely significant amounts of carbon dioxide. New growth continuously draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, however, at some point absorption stops and old forests start emitting carbon dioxide. By harvesting mature trees to produce a variety of forest products, carbon is stored for many decades rather than being released to the atmosphere, further enhancing efforts to mitigate climate change. For wood fibre that cannot be used for traditional forest products, electricity can be generated from forest biomass, creating a reliable, renewable, affordable and climate friendly alternative to more carbon-intensive options. Trees store carbon in the form of wood. Even when trees are harvested, carbon remains stored in the wood. Products created from the harvested wood like lumber, plywood, flooring,
and furniture, lock away carbon in our homes and workplaces for decades. Even pulp, paper, and other consumer products, which are manufactured largely from wood left over from the production of lumber, store carbon through to the end of their life cycle. According to the Ontario government, public forests store an estimated 7.2 billion tonnes of carbon. However, wood products from Managed Forests store 25.5 million tonnes of carbon. This is comparable to the annual emissions from about 28.6 million passenger vehicles. From an environmental perspective, according to the Pembina Institute, the consuming of wood biomass by itself, when compared to natural gas, produces 80% less emissions. A Proven Technology Third, Northern Ontario already has a positive history of the use of forest biomass in the creation of electrical energy. Several existing and former pulp and paper mills, in conjunction with their respective sawmills, have used left over fibre as a fuel to generate steam and electricity for their own use as well as in some cases selling it to the provincial electrical grid. There are currently 5 biomass facilities operating across the North – Atikokan GS, Resolute FP in Thunder Bay, Atlantic Power's Calstock facility, Hornpayne Power and GreenFirst in Hearst. Three out of the five are combined heat and power facilities with the remaining two solely generators for the grid. All of those facilities are scheduled to have their power purchase agreements renewed for a five-year period. There are a total of 15 communities who benefit from the jobs and related economic activity that are created just from the existing biomass facilities. It is not just the communities where the biomass generators are located that benefit from this use of forest residue. Using the Resolute Forest Products biomass generator in Thunder Bay as an example, the communities of Ignace, Atikokan, Fort Frances, Barwick all benefit from the ability to see their fibre utilized in a biomass generator. So, too, do the smaller sawmills and many bush contractors who rely on the sale of their residual material to finance their ongoing logging operations. Common Voice Northwest's Energy Task Force has calculated that the region could be short as much as 220 MW of power by 2027 even with the existing biomass generators having their contracts renewed and the East West Tie in operation. Key communities such as Red Lake-Ear Falls, Sioux Lookout and Greenstone are already at their maximum capacity and require new sources of electricity if they are to grow. There is an opportunity in those communities for new biomass generation facilities along with district heat options. Benefits for Communities as Well as Industry The generation of electricity is not the only
benefit created by biomass, however. Biomass Generators are a part of an integrated energy and environmental system. Historically, wood left over from the sawmilling process was either burned or deposited in a variety of land fill sites, in both cases contributing to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with no value to society. Using the biomass to generate electricity will not only divert usable fibre from landfills but will assist in moving natural gas consumers over to a district heating supply utilizing excess steam from the generator. Distributed generation biomass facilities are a logical solution to this increasing demand. Ideally, the facilities would be strategically located to reduce fibre transportation costs (both financial and environmental) as well as the proximity to transmission assets that will connect the generators to the grid. District Heating is a system that is used in most if not all Nordic countries, especially those with limited fossil fuel supplies. It is also used in Canada in some northern communities as well as on educational, health and industrial campuses in more urban Canada. Typically, a biomass generating facility creates electricity for the grid, transports its high temperature industrial steam to a nearby pulp and paper mill where it is used to dry the products. That steam is then piped to, and throughout, the nearby community where, using heat exchange technology, the heat is transferred to each building. No other source of energy is required to heat the buildings. In the summer, the system is reversed with the buildings using the heat exchange technology to cool the interior. This approach is one of the most efficient uses of a renewable form of energy – the forest. The Government of Ontario should adopt a biomass strategy that not only sustains the existing generators, but where possible, increases the further use of available biomass. That strategy should also facilitate, through approvals and financing, the creation of new biomass generation facilities to meet the growing electrical demand of the province along with incentives for the creation of district heating solutions for communities currently relying on natural gas for heating. Biomass fueled generation and district heating is also an economic opportunity for a number of the remote Indigenous communities who will shortly be connected to the provincial grid. Surplus electricity could be sold to the grid while developing a constant flow of heat throughout the community. Of all the energy solutions, biomass, in conjunction with district heating, will create the most employment in small town Northern Ontario. Iain Angus is the Chair of the Common Voice Northwest Energy Taskforce, the former chair of the Ontario Forestry Coalition and a former Vice President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association.